Amari Cooper and 3 former Browns that have thrived in 2024

As the Cleveland Browns set their sights for 2025 and the draft, and on the impending debate over who should start at QB1 between Jameis Winston and Deshaun Watson, there were a few Browns players sent away this season and in recent years that could be interesting to check back in on.

it's never fun to look back on what could've been between a team and a star player - or, even worse, a player who became a star after leaving a team. But, Cleveland's had to make some tough decisions over the years to try and clear cap space as well as to get back as many draft picks as possible in the wake of their trade for Watson which decimated their pick trove. You can get a brush up on that trove here.

1. Amari Cooper

One of the earlier trades this season in the NFL was the Browns sending Cooper to the Buffalo Bills for a 2025 third round pick and a 7th round pick in 2026. Cooper was just not clicking with Watson at all, and it's still unclear whether that really played a part in the Browns' trade with the Bills, or if the Browns just saw a great opportunity to demand a big draft price from a team desperate for another receiver.

Cooper since the trade has had two games with over 50 receiving yards, and has caught one touchdown from Josh Allen in his first game with the team. After the Bills beat the Kansas City Chiefs in a highly anticipated conference rivalry game, Cooper told reporters that it was "the first time in a long time that I've actually felt joy." Well, that's valid. The Browns are a losing team, and the Bills are Super Bowl contenders. I'd be thrilled, too.

2. Za'Darius Smith

Smith was another domino that fell for the Browns during their 2024 losing season. A veteran defensive end who was putting up some great pressure numbers alongside Myles Garrett, he was the best player Cleveland had available to trade to once again shore up their draft picks. Smith was another player sent from the Browns to a Super Bowl contender - this time, to the Detroit Lions.

Smith has been solid for the Lions, earning three pressures in his first game with the team. But, it doesn't seem like Detroit is keen on starting Smith on as many snaps as he was starting for Cleveland. According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Smith's age - 32 years old - is playing a huge role in how the Lions are approaching his usage. That's to say, he's acting as a compliment to an already strong defense while they await Aidan Hutchinson's return from a broken leg. So, he's doing fine, but maybe not playing the role he wanted to be with the Lions.

3. Kareem Hunt

Hunt was a key compliment to Nick Chubb in the backfield for the Browns from 2019 to 2023. However, due to the constraints place on the team financially because of Watson's contract, they had to let Hunt walk and allow Chubb to be essentially the only reliable running back for Cleveland. Hunt was scooped by the Chiefs, and has been solid with them so far in 2024. He's currently averaging 3.7 yards per carry and has five touchdowns in seven games played this season.

4. Donovan Peoples-Jones

Peoples-Jones is a few years removed from being a Cleveland Brown. Back in October of 2023, he was traded to the Lions for a 2025 sixth rounder. He was a receiver with a ton of promise while with Cleveland, which made the trade a little confusing at the time. But, now seeing that he's essentially been a no-go for Detroit all of 2024 and contributed very little to the Lions in 2023, it seems like Cleveland won that trade pretty clearly. Getting late round draft compensation that Cleveland will definitely need to use makes the transaction much easier to swallow.

More Browns news and analysis

feed